Personal care articles are widely used in today's society. Many of these articles use films and fibers that are thermoplastic. Additionally, these articles use films and fibers that have different properties, depending on their location in the product. For example, some films and fibers are elastomeric. Others are breathable while still others act as liquid barriers. Finally, some of the films and fibers, especially those in contact with the wearer of the product, are designed to be softer to the touch. These different films typically comprise polymers or polymer blends that, when processed, form a film or fiber having the desired characteristic or characteristics.
Additionally, in an attempt to deal with decreasing land-fill and solid waste disposal many of these films and fibers are designed to be water-dispersible such that the product will partially or completely disperse in water, thereby allowing the product to be disposed of without dumping or incineration. These products may be placed in sewage systems or may be flushed down a conventional toilet. To produce these water-dispersible products, the films and fibers used in the products will typically use blend compositions that include a water-dispersible polymer such as polyethylene oxide or polyvinyl alcohol.
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) is a commodity polymer that is used in a wide variety of different applications. Many of these applications are thermoplastic. However, PVOH is generally regarded as a non-thermoplastic polymer. PVOH has a high melting point of about 200° C. depending on the degree of hydrolysis. Accordingly, as PVOH is heated near its melting point, yellowing and discoloration occur. Therefore, when using PVOH as a base material for thermoplastic applications, the PVOH must usually be modified.
Modified PVOH is used in many different water-dispersible thermoformable articles, such as fibers, films and fabrics which maintain their integrity and strength when in use, but dissolve and disperse when placed in contact with water. Unmodified PVOH is used in industry for many different solution-based applications and is not generally considered to be thermoformable or melt-processable. Some such applications for unmodified PVOH include warp sizing in textiles, fabric finishing, adhesives, paper processing additives, and emulsifiers/dispersants.
The prior art has demonstrated some success in modifying PVOH for use in thermoplastic applications. By “modified” PVOH, it is meant PVOH resin which has been chemically modified, including PVOH having another compound grafted thereto, or PVOH resin that has been mixed with one or more plasticizers. In each instance, these “modifications” have been needed to permit PVOH to be used in thermoformable articles.
To overcome the thermoplastic processing problems, chemically modified PVOH has been used. Some prior art teachings have used ethers of PVOH, ethoxylated PVOH or lacton-modified PVOH to produce thermoformable articles.
The prior art has also used PVOH that has not been modified structurally by adding a plasticizing agent to the PVOH which permits the PVOH to be extruded into films and fibers. Examples of plasticizers include water, ethylene glycol, glycerin and ethanol amine.
However, there are problems associated with the addition of plasticizers to PVOH. One of the most pronounced problems during processing is the fogging of the volatile plasticizer during the melt extrusion and condensing of vapor and effects of the vapor to the operating environment. In addition, the extruded articles such as films or fibers lose the plasticizers since the plasticizer molecules diff-use out of the film or fibers. This causes the films or fibers to become brittle over time and often causes the article to fail.
Additionally, films and fibers including modified PVOH or PVOH and a plasticizer may be limited in their utility. These films and fibers may be too stiff to be used for certain applications. Additionally, the texture of the films may not be soft enough for comfortable contact with the skin of an individual. Finally, these films and fibers may be too “noisy” such that bending or flexing of the film or fiber causes an audible sound that may be distracting to the user of the product.
Accordingly, what is needed is an unmodified PVOH that may be used in blend compositions that are thermostatically formed into films and fibers. These films and fibers may then be used in the production of water-dispersible, flushable articles without the use of plasticizing agents. These fibers, films and fabrics could be used in products such as personal care products, diapers, feminine napkins and pads, training pants, wipes, adult incontinence products, release liners, product packaging, etc., which contain the above-mentioned fibers, films and fabrics. Additionally, what is needed are thermoplastically formed films and fibers that have enhanced softness and ductility and produce less noise when bent or flexed.